Key three: Slow start proves costly against Dolphins as skipper awaits fate
The Dolphins have notched their first win of the season, downing the Titans 36-10 at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Leading from start to finish, it was a comprehensive display from the visitors - especially their halves who stood up in the big moments to ice the game and put it beyond doubt midway through the second half.
The wounded Titans - who are currently missing several of their key starters - were dealt a blow in the opening set of the game when captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui was sin-binned for a high tackle as part of the contact crackdown, and further ill-disciplined proved costly for Gold Coast who conceded their second loss of the season.
Match: Titans v Dolphins
Round 5 -
home Team
Titans
8th Position
away Team
Dolphins
14th Position
Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Here are the key talking points:
Start proves costly
Gold Coast's opening half proved to be their Achilles Heel once again, letting the Dolphins out to a 16-0 lead at half-time, before further piling on the points to a 28-0 lead ahead of the Titans' first try of the night in the 65th minute.
Whilst there were only four errors made in the first 40 minutes, they came at costly stages of the match; alongside a number of leg-out penalties which would have displeased Des Hasler, who spoke about the importance of a strong start in his weekly press conference.
Discipline also proved to hurt the home side with nine offloads to three at the break.
A Phil Sami special with 15 minutes to go sparked a slim chance of a heroic comeback - especially after AJ Brimson quickly backed up his winger's four-pointer; but it was too little, too late as the Dolphins romped to a 36-10 victory - their first of 2025.
Crackdown in full force
It didn't take long for Gold Coast to feel the full effect of the NRL's edict on high contact with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui sent to the sin bin in the opening set of the game for what everyone thought at first was a cracking shot on Felise Kaufusi.
Members, fans and even the Fox League commentators lauded the tackle with much excitement until the clock stopped a minute later to have the skipper called out and given his marching orders.
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Fa'asuamaleaui sent to the bin
Only conceding the one try playing with only 12 men, it'll be a nervous sleep for Fa'asuamaleaui who will await the match review committee findings on Sunday.
Dolphins forward Ray Stone also suffered the same fate in the 30th minute, but the visitors kept the home side at bay for the 10 minute period.
Experience coming
Whilst Fa'asuamaleaui's availability will be at the mercy of the match review committee, the Titans are expected to welcome back Sam Verrills (hip) and Jojo Fifita (thigh) for next week's Friday night battle to bolster the squad that only featured a combined 90 games on the interchange bench due to the side's mounting injuries.
Fast-flying winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira is expected back from his hamstring injury as early as the next fortnight and Kieran Foran is less than a month away after a ruptured bicep in the pre-season trial against the Dolphins.
